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Archaeologist:
Andrew Myers

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Allegheny Archaeology Research is an organization comprised of professionally trained archaeologists who seek to explore a variety of research interests. Our primary area of interest includes but is not limited to the middle and upper Ohio River valley and upper West Branch of the Susquehanna. Mr. Myers holds degrees from the Pennsylvania State University including an AA and BA. He also holds an MA in Archaeology and Ancient History from the University of Leicester and is currently employed as Tribal Archaeologist for the Seneca Nation of Indians.

The primary objective of this website is to convey information concerning the archaeological record from a region that has been largely overlooked and underpublished by archaeologists. The majority of the papers presented should be considered works in progress and will be continually updated until they reach a more 'polished' form. Current research endeavors have focused on investigations of three sites located along the Allegheny River in Forest County, Pennsylvania. These sites are known collectively as the Indian Camp Run site complex and were recorded into the Pennsylvania Archaeological Site Survey (PASS) files at the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh and at the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission in Harrisburg.

The photo of the fluted point found on this page was recovered at Indian Camp Run No. 1 (36Fo65). The projectile point-knife (PP/K) form was found buried in the lower levels of the site stratigraphic sequence. An assortment of other suspected Paleo age tools was also recovered.

Photos and metrical statistics of the fluted point were forwarded to Dr. Chris Ellis of the University of Western Ontario in London who concluded that the point-knife (PP/K) was similar to the Barnes fluted point typeology found sporadically throughout the Great Lakes region.

Barnes fluted points date to the Middle Paleoindian period. Although no 14C dates are currently available for the type, dates of around 10,800 to 10,500 years B.P. have been suggested by (Ellis and Deller (2000:253) based on their investigation at Parkhill, Ontario. The closely related and recently defined Michaud-Neponset phase (Speiss et al. 1998:238) dates slightly later to around 10,200 B.P. The age of the fluted point found at Indian Camp Run falls somewhere between that range of dates. Indian Camp Run (36Fo65) is considered the oldest site currently known from the Allegheny River drainage of western Pennsylvania.

Survey of the Allegheny Reservoir 2012

During the summer of 2012 the Allegheny Reservoir reached its seasonal low water level causing widespread erosion. At this time a number of significant archaeological sites were exposed on terraces of the Allegheny River. One such deposit, containing numerous ceramic remains, was uncovered on Steamburg Flats located east of the village of Steamburg in Cattaraugus County New York on property owned by the Seneca Nation of Indians. These finds were subsequently brought to the Seneca Iroquois National Museum by a relative of the former landowner. The author began a preliminary analysis of the sample following the conclusion of the field season. This narrative represents a very tentative statement regarding the sample.

Ontario Oblique rim

While the exact location of the finds is unknown the site area is located in a cluster of village sites that includes such sites as 30Ca16 and Witchs Walk (c.f. Dragoo and Lantz 1975; Noonan 1971). In this general area of the upper Allegheny River valley numerous sites pertaining to Iroquois cultural development have been recorded in an ambit that begins north of Warren Pennsylvania and continues an unknown distance east of Olean, New York. Near Steamburg some 13 villages have been identified in a 1.5 mile expanse of land (Dragoo and Lantz 1975:82). Recent investigations at the Bockmier Point site have exposed yet another village near the City of Olean (Howard, Pacheco, and Willsey-Schmidt 2008). Another site producing Allegheny Valley Iroquois like ceramics was identified by Kelly Lounsberry near Ceres in Allegany County, NY.

Middleport Criss Cross, Ontario Oblique, Goessens Punctate

To date more than 30 individual vessels have been isolated in the site sample. This number was based on an analysis of rim sherd sections that were observed and recorded. In examining ceramic characteristics relationships with the Ontario Iroquois tradition is readily evident. One of the dominant types witnessed in the sample appears to be Ontario Oblique. Another popular type witnessed was Middleport Criss-Cross. One vessel under reconstruction appears to be Steamburg Oblique Incised while Steamburg Vertical Corded, Goessens Puncate and Glen-Meyer Linear stamped, and possibly Ripley Corded have been identified to date.

Goessens Punctate, Ontario Oblique like

The majority of the vessels are decorated with incising etched on the lip, rim, or neck of the vessel. Incising was also occasionally viewed on the interior sublip region. The majority of the incised vessels exhibited the herringbone type motif typical of Ontario Oblique ceramics. Other forms exhibit parallel rows of incising in perpendicular or oblique in fashion. Some incising was dentate in nature applied by a fingernail. Some motifs were comprised of horizontal bands of punctates. Pin size rows of punctates were witnessed on certain vessels such as Glen Meyer linear stamped.

Middleport Criss Cross, Ontario Oblique, Steamburg Vertical Corded

The majority of the vessels are cordmarked or fabric impressed (twined) with cordwrapped dowels. A small sample of sherds was selected to examine cord twist patterns. 30 sherds produced twist patterns out of 80 examined. 30% produced final “S” twist cordage while 70% produced final “Z” twist patterns. Several of the Ontario Oblique vessels exhibit plain or smooth over cord surface finish. The temper is nearly 100% grit typically in the form of crushed quartz, igneous rock, and sand. Only a few shell tempered sherds (<1%) were witnessed in the sample. Many sherds exhibit sharp jagged breaks or spalled surfaces suggestive of the modeling method of paddle and anvil manufacture typical of Iroquoian ceramics.

Glen Meyer Linear Stamped

The age of the sample is uncertain. A suggested range would be A.D. 1300 to 1400 although this is very tentative. Of the identified types Ontario Oblique ceramics account for 47% of the sample followed by possible Ripley Corded at 18% and Middleport Criss-Cross at 12%. Ontario Oblique is most prevalent during the Early-Middle Iroquoian Period post A.D. 1300 while Middleport Criss-Cross occurs in the Middle Ontario Iroquois tradition and has a suggested range of A.D. 1350-1400 (Dragoo and Lantz 1975:85). Further research will likely serve to tighten the suggested temporal position.

Ontario Oblique like rims

Various rims 1

Various rims 2

Various rims 3

Various rims 4-embossed with castellation

Various rims 5

Various rims 6

References

Dragoo, D. and Lantz, S. 1975. Archaeological Salvage of Selected Sites in the Allegheny Reservoir in New York 1973-1974. Report to U.S. National Park Service. Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh.

Howard, S., Pacheco, P. and Willsey-Schmidt, L. 2008. Bockmier Point Site: The Kinzua Phase Revisited. Northeast Anthropology 75/76:23-57.

Noonan, K. 1971. Witch's Walk #1: APreliminary Site Report. The Bulletin: Journal of the New York State Archaeological Association 52:22-38.

The Cold Spring Pot

The Cold Spring pot was found eroding from the banks of the Allegheny Reservoir a number of years ago by a member of the Seneca Nation of Indians. Background information in the form of a note written by George Abrams on March 15, 1984 indicates that the remains of the pot were found by an individual near the Cold Spring Site. Cold Spring is located along the Allegheny River below Steamburg Flats. The individual who brought the pot to the museum did not wish to sign a donation form so out of respect to the individual he will remain nameless here.

During the winter of 2012 the author while inventorying the findings of the 2012 field season began rebuilding some of the local ceramic collections housed at the museum. It is estimated that as much as 70% of the pot is included in the sample recovered along the river. The pot is in effect a large jar which may have served as a cooking tool or small storage container. Based on restored sections the vessel is a minimum 15.5 inches (39 cm) in height. At the shoulder the vessel measures 10.5 inches (26.26 cm) in width. The diameter of the vessel opening was measured at approximately 9 inches (22.5 cm).

Beginning at the uppermost portion of the vessel a description is as follows. The rim of the vessel exhibits low castellations although the exact number is currently unknown and the toplip region exhibited paddle edge stamping on a flat square lip. The exterior sublip exhibits two channels and two bands of oblique incising. The first channel is found just below the lip. This region also exhibited cordmarking. The first band of oblique incising that encircles the pot was etched about 10 cm below the lip. A second channel separates this group of incising from a second row of oblique incising oriented in opposite direction to create the major motif. Below this is a constricted neck that has been wiped smooth of cordmarking. The neck region measures 2.5 inches (6.25 cm) in length. Of particular interest witnessed on the rim were areas that the exterior surface had spalled. Relic cordmarking was evident in these areas identifying the method of manufacture as slab and anvil construction rather than coiling. Upon manufacture the vessel was tempered with igneous grit temper that may fill as much as 30% of the paste.

At the juncture of the neck and shoulder occurs a band of dentate incisions that encircles the pot. At the neck base juncture some cordmarking was witnessed on the interior surface of the pot. Below this occurs an elongated bag shaped base. This had been impressed with a closed simple twined fabric applied with a cord wrapped dowel. Based on latex casts taken from a sundry of sherds the vessel appears to exhibit final “S” twist cordage.

The cultural affiliation of this vessel is likely Allegheny Valley Iroquois. The type variety is similar to Ontario Oblique and perhaps is a variant of the Steamburg Channeled Oblique variety found at 30Ca16 and defined by (Dragoo and Lantz 1975). If similar to pottery found at 30Ca16 then a date of circa. A.D. 1200 is suggested (Lantz 1989:3).

Restored rim section of Cold Spring pot

Rim and basal sections cold spring pot

Rim section of Cold Spring pot

Basal section Cold Spring pot

References

Dragoo, D. and Lantz, S. 1975. Archaeological Salvage of Selected Sites in the Allegheny Reservoir in New York 1973-1974. Report to U.S. National Park Service. Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh.

Lantz, S. 1989. Late Woodland Occupation in Western Pennsylvania. Paper prepared for the sixtieth Annual Meeting of the Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology, Edinboro, Pennsylvania, April 28-30, 1989.

Comments and questions are encouraged. If anyone would like to share photos and discuss any of their finds please feel free to contact me at my e-mail address below.